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Worker commits suicide against privatisation of DCIL

The decision of the government to privatise the profit-making PSU, Dredging Corporation of India limited (DCIL), has taken the valuable life of a worker there. The government is proposing to privatise DCIL, despite strong opposition from the workers and the Unions. However, the government is moving for privatisation. It is protesting against this move that Com. Venkatesh, a 29 year worker of the PSU took the drastic step. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. We demand and enquiry in the matter and stop the privatisation move. A statement issued by CITU in this connection is given below:

“Venkatesh, a 29 year young worker of DCIL and the lone bread-earner of the family of two sisters and parents, committed suicide on 4 December, 2017 in protest against Modi Government’s decision to Completely privatise the Dredging Corporation of India Ltd (DCIL) with headquarter at Visakhapatnam. In a delegation, Vankatesh met the local BJP M.P and BJP MLA and urged their intervention against privatisation of DCIL. But, shockingly, both of them refused on the ground that BJP’s Central Government had already taken decision to privatise DCIL. In a Suicide note Venkatesh accused Modi Government for its decision to privatise DCIL and local BJP MP and BJP MLA for their refusal to intervene as the reason for his frustration and Suicide. Despite protests and representation by CITU and other trade unions, the Government decided to privatise DCIL. The Workers and the executives of DCL hace since Were Conducting joint agitation demanding reversal of the decision of privatization of DCIL. It is very important to note that the financial performance of DCIL is excellent in that it has been earning profit, generated huge assets including liquidity. Therefore, handing over DCIL to private business is a criminal compromise with the economic strength and interest of the nation and is yet another instance of transferring national asset to private capital by the corporates captive Modi Government. Service to the nation, provided by the DCIL, is better testified from the fact that DCIL has been maintaining our national maritime and navigational facilities of waterways catering yeoman services to all the major and minor ports in the Country, thereby, facilitating international trade and cargo movement. In fact, DCIL was created under public sector to deliver dredging service to the nation to keep the ports as well as channels navigable to facilitate smooth movement of vessels with larger draft. Moreover, DCL has also successfully expanded its dredging services beyond the Country’s boundary and has been earning precious foreign exchange executing foreign Orders. CITU condemns Modi Government, being responsible for the shocking Suicide of Venkatesh; demands reversal of the privatization decision of DCIL, demands adequate compensation to the family of deceased and employment to a member of the family. CITU extends full support and solidarity to the ongoing and forthcoming struggle of the DCIL Workers and executives and appeals to the Working class to extend Solidarity with the DCIL Workers.”

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About VAN NAMBOODIRI

V.A.N.Nambodiri is the founder General Secretary and later President and Patron of BSNL Employees Union, the recognised union in BSNL, the government owned Telecom Public sector Company. He is the President of BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation as also the founder Convener of Joint Action Committee of BSNL Unions /Associations of Non-Executives and Executives which is fighting against disinvestment and for protecting the rights of the workers and also to save and improve BSNL.
Now he is staying at Kozhikode, Kerala, and is the President of the Senior Citizens Friendship Welfare Association, which looks after and fights for the rights of the senior citizens in the state.